Peer Animators - College Students are part of the solution for High Schools

We had a young person recently introduce herself, "I am a senior who goes to a 'failing school' where I am asked to succeed."

In the audience was a College Sophomore who had graduated from that same school. "Look at me! I'm making it. Like to join me?"

They spoke afterwards. The High School Senior had no role model in her family. She didn't know how to get started. She was carry a 3.0 and wasn't sure if it was good enough.

This just happened in November. I'll keep you posted. But I can tell you this. The College Sophomore is a Peer Animator and was true to the meaning of the name - animator. The Senior is inspired to make it work!

Do you want to be a Peer Animator? Do you know anyone who does? Give us a call (773.265.5806) and ask for Van!

Paradigm Shift as a Gift for Peacemakers

What is the difference between those who choose peace and those who do not?

On our focus: LIFE week-end (enfoque: LA VIDA) we have seen people step up to their situation and step out of seeing themselves as victims. We have seen people move from wanting to react to being disrespected to moving toward responding to being respectful.

Some call it a paradigm shift. We see it as transforming ourselves to be free to forgive and be forgiven.

Each of us can relate to times when we are disrespected. If we choose to do so, we can share what happened and how it felt.

But we can also choose to remember what happened differently. We can see the other person who wronged us - stole from us, lied about us, hurt someone we love - as someone who is letting our fallen self take control of our choices. When such controls go to extremes, addictive ways of living take over.

We can remember when we had wronged others. We can see ourselves as forgiving ourselves and being forgiven - accepted, if you will - by a Power Greater Than Human, as we know this Power.

Using the energy of this Power, we can choose to forgive the person and breathe the very forgiving we have received and made part of our life. We challenge for change, inviting the person to see our lives as greater than human.

To make this a way of life calls for time to reflect and share, to act and give. Our focus: LIFE (enfoque: LA VIDA) weekend is scheduled for March 11-13. Give Van, Sr. Gilda Marie or me a call to find out more. We are at 773.265.5806. Fr. John

Christmas and the New Year - Concert of Many Cultures and Creeds

This is the time of the year for a concert of cultures and creeds. Within Life Directions we seek to encourage all people of good will to grow in your own "roots" and to come to appreciate the "roots" of others.

• "Roots" are the tradition that sustain the life of customs and traditions.
• Rootless people will hear and not understand, see and not perceive.
• Culture tell the meaning of what we hear.
• Creed give the insights of what we see.

To take one culture and creed - the Mexican community embraces Our Lady of Guadalupe. Within the music we hear affectionate love for Our Lady. "Dance" and "Decorations" enliven the people. Within what we see and hear is the deep faith that God did not abandoned the indigenous people. He challenged the leaders to respect all peoples, especially the "little ones". By building a Church the people would have a home to give them what they would not receive from a job or money. What a gift to know our worth is not based on what we have but one we are. God loves us just the way we are. Our Lady's message - love God the way God loves and we will know how to build a just community with peacemaking as its foundation.

The Roses and the Tilma are but two of the symbols to express the meaning and richness of the celebration. Justice for the poor and oppressed, especially within education and employment, gives what the celebration is encouraging. Let's pray this becomes a reality for more and more of all God's people.

Other cultures - African American, Asian American, European American, other Hispanic Americans and Native American - they all have ways to celebrate. Please share your reflections and join the concert.

Other creeds deepen the cultures. Share the gift of your faith and enrich the concert.

Inspiring young people ready to give

Life Directions thrives on encouraging giving before receiving. We see giving leads to receiving.


Would you want to be a part of our effort to encourage young people to see themselves as giving?


We will be inviting the young people in the schools and the young adults in the neighborhoods to join with elders and adults to brainstorm people who need to receive what have to give.


Here are some ideas. Do you have any to add?

• The gifts we receive - to give to someone who needs it.
• A play or a choral group to give joy to others.
• Celebrate the 3 Kings in January to be a time to share as they did with the Child!
• Promoting an event to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. and his commitment to justice for the poor.

We hope to awaken an awareness of how much we have been given and that we are blessed to be a blessing to those who in turn can give back to us what they have received.


Feel free to e-mail me jphelps@lifedirections.org or call our offices in Detroit (313.420.0310) or Chicago (773.265.5806) with your ideas.


Fr. John